Leipzig’s Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall), is one of the most important Renaissance buildings remaining in Germany. The city had a town hall from as early as the middle of the 14th century when the citizens of Leipzig felt that a building was required to house a large hall, the council chambers, the offices of the town clerk, city archives and municipal administrative offices, etc. However, the current Renaissance structure of the Altes Rathaus, built in 1556, can be attributed to Hieronymus Lotter, who was a businessman and several times Mayor of Leipzig. It is a beautiful Renaissance style building, 90 meters (295 ft) long with arcades, six gables and a tower. In the 18th century the tower was enlarged and it received a Baroque spire.

With the building of the New City Hall in 1905, the city’s administrative services were moved to the new building. Between 1905-1909,
the Altes Rathaus underwent substantial reconstruction to house the Leipzig Museum of City History. The Leipzig Museum keeps records
of all developments and events in Leipzig from the Middle Ages up to the present time. The Museum is one of Leipzig’s most visited sights.